Abstract

In plants, calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) constitute a unique family of enzymes consisting of a protein kinase catalytic domain fused to carboxy-terminal autoregulatory and calmodulin-like domains. We isolated two cDNAs encoding calcium-dependent protein kinase isoforms (CaCPK1 and CaCPK2) from chickpea. Both isoforms were expressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. Biochemical analyses have identified CaCPK1 and CaCPK2 as $Ca^{2+}$ -dependent protein kinases since both enzymes phosphorylated themselves and histone III-S as substrate only in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. The kinase activity of the recombinant enzymes was calmodulin independent and sensitive to CaM antagonists W7 [N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulphonamide] and calmidazoilum. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that the isoforms transferred the \gamma-phosphate of ATP only to serine residues of histone III-S and their autophosphorylation occurred on serine and threonine residues. These two isoforms showed considerable variations with respect to their biochemical and kinetic properties including $Ca^{2+}$ sensitivities. The recombinant CaCPK1 has a pH and temperature optimum of pH 6.8–8.6 and $35–42 ^oC$, respectively, whereas CaCPK2 has a pH and temperature optimum of pH 7.2–9 and $ 35–42^oC$, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that CaCPK1 and CaCPK2 are functional serine/threonine kinases and may play different roles in $Ca^{2+}$ -mediated signaling in chickpea plants.